قالَ الوُشاةُ بَدا في الخَدِّ عارِضُهُ

قالَ الوُشاةُ بَدا في الخَدِّ عارِضُهُ

فَقُلتُ لا تُكثِروا ما ذاكَ عائِبُهُ

فَقُلتُ لا تُكثِروا ما ذاكَ عائِبُهُ

The tale-bearers said, “The first beard has shown upon his cheek.”

The talebearers said, "His beard has appeared on his cheek."

I said, “Do not make so much of it—that is no flaw of his.”

So I said, "Say no more; that does not mar him."

لَمّا اِستَقَلَّ بِأَردافٍ تُجاذِبُهُ

لَمّا اِستَقَلَّ بِأَردافٍ تُجاذِبُهُ

وَاِخضَرَّ فَوقَ جُمانِ الدُرِّ شارِبُهُ

وَاِخضَرَّ فَوقَ جُمانِ الدُرِّ شارِبُهُ

When his figure rose upon haunches that tugged him this way and that,

When he rose with buttocks that tugged against him,

and above the pearl-beads his mustache grew green,

And his moustache grew green above the pearl beads,

وَأَقسَمَ الوَردُ أَيماناً مُغَلَّظَةً

وَأَقسَمَ الوَردُ أَيماناً مُغَلَّظَةً

أَلّا تُفارِقَ خَدَّيهِ عَجائِبُهُ

أَلّا تُفارِقَ خَدَّيهِ عَجائِبُهُ

the rose swore solemn, binding oaths

And the rose swore solemn oaths

that its marvels would never leave his cheeks.

That its wonders would not leave his cheeks,

كَلَّمتُهُ بِجُفونٍ غَيرِ ناطِقَةٍ

كَلَّمتُهُ بِجُفونٍ غَيرِ ناطِقَةٍ

فَكانَ مِن رَدِّهِ ما قالَ حاجِبُهُ

فَكانَ مِن رَدِّهِ ما قالَ حاجِبُهُ

I spoke to him with eyelids that could not speak,

I spoke to him with speechless eyelids,

and, in answer, his eyebrow said what it said.

And part of his reply was what his eyebrow said.

الحُسنُ مِنهُ عَلى ما كُنتُ أَعهَدُهُ

الحُسنُ مِنهُ عَلى ما كُنتُ أَعهَدُهُ

وَالشِعرُ حِرزٌ لَهُ مِمَّن يُطالِبُهُ

وَالشِعرُ حِرزٌ لَهُ مِمَّن يُطالِبُهُ

His beauty remains just as I have always known it,

His beauty remains as I used to know it,

and poetry is a charm guarding him from whoever would claim him.

And his hair is a talisman against those who pursue him.

أَحلى وَأَحسَنُ ما كانَت شَمائِلُهُ

أَحلى وَأَحسَنُ ما كانَت شَمائِلُهُ

إِذ لاحَ عارِضُهُ وَاِخضَرَّ شارِبُهُ

إِذ لاحَ عارِضُهُ وَاِخضَرَّ شارِبُهُ

Never were his graces sweeter or lovelier

His graces were at their sweetest and loveliest

than when his cheek-beard showed and his mustache grew green.

When his cheek-beard appeared and his moustache grew green.

وَصارَ مَن كانَ يَلحا في مَوَدَّتِهِ

وَصارَ مَن كانَ يَلحا في مَوَدَّتِهِ

إِن سيلَ عَنّي وَعَنهُ قالَ صاحِبُهُ

إِن سيلَ عَنّي وَعَنهُ قالَ صاحِبُهُ

And he who once reproached me for loving him,

And whoever once reproached me for loving him

if asked about me and him, now says, “His companion.”

Now said, if asked about me and him, "His companion."